Sixteen Steals Become The Story As Hannah Hidalgo Delivers A Defensive Masterclass

In a stunning performance, the No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish triumphed over Akron with a score of 85-58, showcasing junior guard Hannah Hidalgo’s extraordinary talent. Hidalgo notched a remarkable 44 points, setting a school record, while also achieving an NCAA record with 16 steals during the Wednesday night game. During her 28 minutes on the hardwood, Hidalgo, a preseason All-America selection, successfully converted 16 of her 25 attempts, including three of six from beyond the arc, and nine of 11 from the charity stripe. Contributing four assists and nine rebounds, her dominance was palpable. Hidalgo’s steals eclipsed the prior NCAA benchmark of 14, previously held by players such as Jill Ingram of Georgia Tech in February 2008. Notre Dame capitalized on Akron’s 38 turnovers, accumulating 30 steals that translated into 41 points. Despite the impressive victories this week—with an average win margin of 52 points—Notre Dame’s ranking slipped three positions in the latest AP Top 25.